Electric-car sign and signal.



PATENTED DEC. 18, 1906. U. W. RYDER (K: F. ORTH. I ELECTRIC GAR SIGN ANDSIGNAL.

APPLICLATIOH FILED APR. 8 1905.

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0. W. RYDER & F. ORTH.

ELECTRIC GAR SIGNAND SIGNAL.

APPLIIOATIOKI'ILED APR. 8. 1905.

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PATENTED, DEC. 18, 1906. G- W. RYDER 6: F. ORTH.

ELECTRIC GAR SIGN AND SIGNAL. APPLICATION FILED APR. a. 1905.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CHARLES W. RYDER AND FRANKLIN ORTH, OF BURLINGTON, VERMONT.

ELECTRIC-CAR SIGN AND SIGNAL.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 18, 1906.

Application filed April 8, 1905. Serial No. 254,536.

To all whom it nuty concern.-

Be it known that we, CHARLES W. RYDER and FRANKLIN ORTH, citizens of theUnited States, residing at No. 163 South Union street, in the city ofBurlington, in the county of Chittenden and State of Vermont, haveinvented a new and useful Improvement in Electric-Car Signs and Signals,of which the following is a specification.

The objects of our improvement are, first, to provide a sign uponelectric cars to give the names of places and routes second, to providesignals of different-colored lights, and, thirdly, to provide means toturn the electric current on or oil from the different compartments ofthe sign, hereinafter described, and adapted to be placed upon anelectric car.

Our invention also relates to improvements in illuminated signals andstreet-car signs by which a series of signals and inscriptions may bedisclosed during the day and night time and be interchanged at will,though it is evident that the sign can be used independent of the car.

It is the object of our present invention to provide a sign which may beeasily mounted on the end or sides of a car in position to displaydifferent-colored signals and inscriptions and have theseinterchangeable at will by means of actuating mechanism arranged withinreach of a motorman or conductor.

Further objects of this invention are to provide means by which amany-sided sign may be rotated or reversed at suitable intervals, sothat any inscription or set of signals may be brought into position tobe read from the street to provide means by which the sign may be lockedor held firmly and steadily in place until it isdesired to change theposition of the sign for presenting another inscription or set ofsignals to view, and also to prevent the accidental rotation of the signand signals by any jar of the car, as in crossing switches; to providemeans by which a current of electrical energy may be supplied toincandescent lights within the revolving or reversing sign and signalsin a manner to avoid interfering with the rotating or reversing of saidsign and signals and to supply this current of electrical energy in sucha way as to be continuous or not interrupted or interfered with by orduring the time of rotating or reversing the sign and signals, so

that there is no liability of sparking or arcing or of the lamps beingtemporarily extinguished due to the vibrationor the reversal of the signand signals.

Our invention comprises, generally speaking, a many-sided box of two ormore separate compartmentsone or more for the inscriptions and two forthe signalsand so arranged that they can be controlled or lightedindependently and separately. Each sign is equipped with transparent ortranslucent panes, which are provided with suitable inscriptions in thesign-compartments and of suitable color in the signal-compartments.Furthermore, these panes are secured removably Within the frames, sothat the inscription may be removed and a pane bearing a freshinscription or an inscription of a different character supplied or apane of different color put in the signal sections. These panes arearranged in suitable grooves in the sides of the frame, and the latteris arranged at both ends so the colored-signal panes and the panesbearing the inscriptions can be easily slipped into place, theseinscriptions denoting the route or destination of the car or any othermatter or suitable advertisement which is desired to be displayed to thepublic.

Our inventicn comprises more explicitly the constructions andcombinations of parts, which are hereinafter described, and moreparticularly set forth in the claims.

In the drawings accompanying this specification we have illustratedseveral of the possible embodiments of our invention, and wherein vFigure 1 is a front elevation of one form of an electrically-illuminatedfour-sided sign embodying our invention. Fig. 2 is a plan of the same,having the translucent sign, the bulls-eyes, and colored plates of thetop side removed, so as to disclose the interior. Fig. 3 is a frontelevation of the sign, showing in position a protecting-hood which maybe employedin connection with the sign. Fig. 4 is an end elevation ofthe form shown in Fig. 1 of the end carrying the actuating mechanism.Fig. 5 is an end elevation of the same of the opposite end to theactuating mechanism. Fig. 6 is a transverse section of thesignal-compartment, taken on the line A B of Fig. 1. Fig. 7 is a sectionof the side of the signal-compartment, taken on line G H of Fig. 2 andshowing the manner of holding the bulls-eyes and colored panes. Fig. 8is a transverse section of the sign-compartment, taken on the line C Dof Fig. 2 and showing the method of supporting addi tional lamps, ifnecessary. Fig. 9 is an elevation of the actuating mechanism and lockingdevice. Fig. 10 is a bottom view of the upper locking-disk, and Fig. 11is a plan of the locking-disk fixed to the shaft. Fig. 12 is a plan ofthe hand-wheel. Fig. 13 is a crosssection of this hand-wheel, taken onthe line E F of Fig. 12 and showing one of the ways of holding theremovable brass name-plates. Fig. 14 is a cross-section of the same,taken on the line I J of Fig. 12. Fig. 1.5 is a perspective view of theweather-hood. Fig. 16 is a diagram of connections, showing a pos sibleform of wiring. Fig. 17 is a diagram of connections, showing analternate form of wiring. Fig. 18 is a pictorial representation of theconnections as shown diagrammatically in Fig. 16. Fig. 1.9 is across-section on line I J of Fig. 1, showing the lug and fixed disk ofthe clutch in the locking device.

Referring now to Figs. 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5, it is seen that the completesign may consist of a four-sided box with separate compartments, one ofwhich is the sign proper, while the other compartments comprise thesignals. The frames 25 of this box are made of strips of suitablemateral, preferably sheet metal, and held in place by the end andpartition pieces 26, made of blocks of wood or other suitable material.The metal frames 25 are properly grooved, so as to form slides forholding the panes 27, made of glass, celluloid, or any suitabletranslucent material and bearing any desired inscription, illuminated bythe lamps 40 in this compartment. The lamps 39., and 39 are in thesignal-compartments, whose sides are preferably metal plates 28,carrying clear-glass bulls-eyes 29 and held in place each side by fourscrews 30. The entire box is supported by the standards 31, one at eachend, and is mounted so as to be revolved or reversed. at will by turningthe hand-wheel 32. Thus by rotating the rod 33 and the bevel gear-wheel34, which engages -with the bevel gear-wheel 35, mounted on the shaftsupporting the box, the latter is caused to rotate. The brushes orsprings 36,, 36 36 and 36. are for the purpose of making electricalconnection to the wiring that feeds the lamps 39., 39., and lamps 40.These brushes or springs are screwed to the vertical faces of the blocksof hard fiber 38, so as to bear on the metal rings 37 37 37 and 37.respectively, which in turn are connected to the wiring on the interiorof the sign-box by the stud-bolts 55,, 55 55 and 55 passing through thesides 26. The entire box, standards, actuating mechanism, and brushes orsprings are mounted on a wooden base 41, which is fastened to the roofof the car by bolting down the iron supports 42. This base and thesupports can of course be omitted, if desired, and the other partsfastened directly to the roof of the car.

Figs. 6 and 7 show in detail the construction of the signalcompartments. The metal strips 25 form the frames and are U- shaped, soas to form slides in which the colored panes 43, of red, blue, or yellowglass, celluloid, or any suitable translucent colored material, can beinserted. These are held in place by screws 30, which at the same timefasten on the metal sides 28, each one of which carries a clear-glassbullseye 29. The lamp 39,, in section, and its socket are shown in thecenter of Fig. 6.

Fig. 8 shows in detail a method of supporting any lamps not fasteneddirectly to the partitions or to the ends of the box. One or two socketsare screwed to a piece of wood 44, circular or of any other suitableshape, which is supported by through-bolts 45, passing diagonally fromthe frames 25, that form the edges of the box and also the slides forthe panes 27, carrying the inscriptions to be displayed.

Figs. 9, 10, 11, and 19 give in detail the actuating mechanism and thelocking device. The vertical rod 33 carries a bevel gearwheel 34,engaging with another bevel gearwheel 35, fixed to the shaft of the box,thereby causing the sign to make one complete revolution for onerevolution of the vertical rod 33, which also has fixed upon it thelower locking-disk 48, carrying four wedge-shaped grooves 49, arrangedradially ninety degrees apart. The upper locking-disk 46 has a diametralwedge-shaped projection 47, which fits into the grooves of the lowerdisk 48. Ordinarily the two disks are pressed together by the pressureof the spring 56, and as the upper disk 46 cannot be rotated, but isfixed in position, because the lug 57 engages in a vertical slot in thestandard 011 that end of IOC the sign, accidental rotation of the signis prevented, because the sign-box is always left in such a positionthat the projection 47 of the upper disk 46 fits in the groove 49 of thelower disk 48, thereby keeping the lower disk 48 and the sign-box in afixed position. By forcibly rotating the vertical rod 33 the upper disk46 is forced upward, overcoming the pressure of the spring 56, so thelower disk 48 can be rotated ninety degrees when the two disks are againlocked.

In Figs. 12, 13, and 14 are shown the details of the hand-Wheel 32 andname-plates 51, used to enable the conductor or motorman to tell theposition of the overhead sign. The hand-wheel 32 has four spokes 50, towhich the name-plates 51, of brass or any other suitable material, canbe fastened by shaping them as shown, slipping one end of each into oneof the grooves 58 and then fastening to one of the spokes 50 with one ofthe screws 52. The entire wheel is fixed to the vertical rod of the.actuating mechanism in such a manner that the names on the spokes havea definite position when the overhead sign shows a particularinscription.

Fig. 15 shows the metal weather-hood, which is fastened by hinges 53either to the wooden base carrying the sign or directly to the roof ofthe car, in case no base is em ployed, inwhich case-the lowest edges ofthe hood must be given the proper curvature instead of being straightlines, The hood is composed of two plane end surfaces perpendicular tothe axis of the rotating sign and two curved surfaces whose elements ofsurface are straight lines parallel to the axis of the rotating sign.The front face is composed of two curved pieces 54, extending from theend surfaces toward the center, but leaving an opening in the center ofsufficient size to leave the signals and sign uncovered. Thisconstruction practically entirely incloses the standards, the brushes orsprings, and the collector-rings at the ends of the rotatable box whenput in place, thus protecting them from the weather and yet leavingthese parts accessible for inspection by merely laying the hood back.

Figs. 16 and 18, respectively, give a diagram of the wiring and show thearrangement and connections of the various devices applicable to twosigns like the one represented in Fig. 1 and show how the signals andthe signs proper can be controlled separately. Starting from thetrolley-pole T a wire 58 is led to a make-and-break switch 5,, fromwhich the circuit passes through R which is a rheostat, lamp, or othersuitable resistance depending upon the voltage of the trolley circuit,the number and kinds of incandescent lamps employed, and their method ofconnection. From R, the circuit passes by a wire 59 to the brush 36,,bearing on the collector-ring 55,. The incandescent lamps 39 and 39,,are the signal-lamps in the end or signal compartments and are connectedin se ries between the collector-rings 55,, and Collector-ring 55 hasbearing upon it brush or spring 36 which is connected by wire 60 tobrush 36,, at the other end of the car. From brush 36,, the circuitpasses by way of collector-ring 55,, lamps 39,, and 39 in theirsignal-comp artments,collector-ring 55 brush 36 andthen by wire 61 tothe rail. A

second circuit starts again at trolley-pole T and passes by wires 62 and63 through R which is another rheostat, lamp, or suitable resistance,toa double-throw switch 8,, which according to its position causes thesign-compartment at the front or at the rear end of the car to belighted. WVire 64 then connects one terminal of this switch to brush 36bear ing on collector-ring 55 from whence the circuit passes through asmany lamps 40 as there are in the sign-compartment and passes out bycollector-ring 55 brush 36. and wire 66 to the rail. Wire connects theother terminal of switch S to brush 36 bearing on collector-ring 55 andthus through lamps 40, which are in the sign-comparting from thetrolley-pole T, a wire is led to a make-and-break switch 5,, from which.the circuit passes through R which is again a rheostat, lamp, or othersuitable resistance, and then by a wire 69 to the brush or spring 36..bearing on collector-ring 55,, thence through lamp 39,, which is asignallamp, to collector-ring 55 brush 36 and by wire 7 O to theopposite end of the car and to brush 36; and collector-ring 55 thencethrough signal -lamp 39;, collector-ring 551/, brush or spring 36 and byway of wire 71 to the three-way switch 8,. Wire 72 connects one terminalof switch S to brush 36!, from which the circuit passes by way ofcollector-ring 55 lamps 40", collector-ring 55, brush 36 and wire 73 tothe rail. The other terminal of the switch S is connected to the railthrough wire 74, brush 36 collector ring 55 lamps 40, which are in asign-compartment at end of car opposite to lamps 40, collectorring 55brush 36. and wire 75.

It is of course understood that the resistances R, R and R in Figs. 16and 17 can be entirely omitted by properly selecting the incandescentlamps in the signal and sign compartments as regards their voltage andchanging their number, as required. Again, if storage batteries or anyother independent source of electrical energy is employed, thetrolley-pole and the wire to rail will be replaced by the main leadsfrom this source.

' Having thus described our invention, what we claim as new, and desireto secure by Letters Patent, is

1. .In a device of the class described, a rotatable box having a maincompartment therein, removal translucent slides for said compartmentbearing the names of stations or routes of cars, two additional endcompartments, removable colored translucent slides therefor, electriclamps in all the respective compartments, a pair of metal rings on eachend of said box, one pair of said rings being electrically connectedwith the lamp or lamps in the main compartment, and the other pair withthe lamp or lamps in the two end compartments, a spring bearing againsteach of said rings and connected with a source of electrical supply,means for independently controlling the supply to the lamps of the mainand of the end compartments, and means for rotating the said boxsubstantially as described.

2. In an illuminated sign, the combina tion of a many-sided rotatablebox having a main and two end compartments, as and for the purposesdescribed, electric lamps in all the respective compartments, a rotatingmechanism, a locking device, a means of indicating the position of thebox, a means of feeding electrical energy continuously to the electriclamps in said compartments, and a means of independently controlling theelectrical supply to the lamps of the main compartment and of the twoend compartments; substantially as described.

3. In an illuminated sign, the combination of a rotatable box having amain and two end. compartments, as and for the purposes described,electric lamps in all the respective compartments, a rotating mechanism,a lock- CHAS. W. RYDER. FRANKLIN ORTH.

Witnesses:

M. A. BINGHAM, HENRY B. SHAW.

